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The start of an NGO adventure…

When I was at school and even back in first year, a 10,000-word dissertation seemed incredibly daunting and a long way away, but nevertheless, here it is! Choosing a dissertation topic can be a very complex and challenging task, but when the opportunity arose to complete mine in conjunction with StreetInvest, the choice was made easy. And here I am, writing my first blog before heading into the working world for two weeks!

So, who are StreetInvest? StreetInvest works with street children who have to look after themselves, usually with no adults to guide them. Through the training of local agencies and street workers, StreetInvest aim to provide a trusted adult that can help improve the street children’s lives. StreetInvest have developed a series of training modules that equip local street workers with the necessary skills to support street children. These modules include Child Protection, Headcounting, Group Work, and most crucially for my dissertation, Working with Girls. As StreetInvest have clearly recognised, girls who are associated with the street are often under-recognised and under-supported. But why? My dissertation aims to explore the differences between street girls and street boys, why gender makes such a difference in the lives of these children and how organisations can help!

One of the most exciting things about a placement-led dissertation is the valuable opportunity to combine research and work experience. I speak from experience when I say that getting work experience and internships in charities and NGOs (non-government organisations) can be challenging. Places are limited and many organisations can’t afford the desk space. However, StreetInvest have kindly agreed to take me on this summer, and the skills I am going to learn will be invaluable. Hopefully I will actually be able to help their cause as well!

Overall, this promises to be an incredibly exciting two weeks. I’ll be back in a few days to blog about how the placement is going, but until then, HERE GOES!

If you want to check out what StreetInvest are all about, check out their video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZgBKn-tJo